Take a look at the improvements coming to Las Vegas airport

A long-term approach toward providing a quality airport experience for Southern Nevada residents and tourists is underway as Clark County prepares for the retirement of its longtime aviation director.

Senior Director of Aviation James Chrisley and Managing Director of Planning Bryant Holt told the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority board of directors Tuesday how the use of Harry Reid International Airport will evolve over the next 12 years.

Chrisley and Holt outlined plans for the Clark County Department of Aviation system, including a multibillion-dollar modernization at Reid International, the establishment of two off-airport centers to handle ground transportation and parking, and the early steps toward building a supplemental airport south of Las Vegas by 2037.

Reid International is locked into its 2,800-acre footprint and can’t expand, and it is approaching its estimated capacity of 65 million annual passengers.

Last year, the airport served more than 57 million passengers.

If the county receives a favorable record of decision on its environmental impact statement, it wouldn’t be able to begin construction on the Ivanpah Valley airport until 2029 at the earliest.

Two campuses

Airport officials are already referring to its aviation system having a north campus, Reid International, and a south campus, the long-sought but still not-built Ivanpah airport.

The massive undertaking is occurring as Rosemary Vassiliadis, who has served as Clark County aviation director since 2013, prepares to retire in September.

Clark County Commissioner Jim Gibson, who also chairs the LVCVA board, said Tuesday he expects the county will name a successor to Vassiliadis within two weeks. Among the contenders is Chrisley.

LVCVA board members saluted Vassiliadis in a presentation at its board meeting. She announced in June that she will be ending her 28-year career in aviation on Sept. 12.

Chrisley updated the board on projects that would expand Terminal 1 from 39 to 65 gates, build two multimodal centers that also would expand airport parking, and redesign roadways that would separate direct connections between the two airport terminals from airport bypass traffic.

The airport plan also includes development of the two-runway Ivanpah airport slated to be built between Jean and Primm.

The still-unnamed supplemental airport is now in the midst of the first draft of an environmental impact statement that isn’t expected to be ready until March 2028.

Modernization plan

Chrisley and Holt explained that work is now underway on the design of the Reid modernization plan.

Officials said it’s too early to estimate the cost of the project, but the work appears to be far more extensive than the $2.4 billion Terminal 3 project that was completed in 2012.

Airport planners have made it clear that the project would likely be paid for with bonds supported by airport user fees — dollars the airport collects from vendors, airlines and passengers for things like landing fees, parking and gaming concessions.

The new transit centers would provide access to ride-hailing companies, public transit options, and parking for flight crews and airport employees.

One facility is planned off Paradise Road south of Tropicana Avenue, and another is being eyed between Interstate 215 and Sunset Road and between Las Vegas Boulevard and Gillespie Road.

Those centers could also provide another big airport need — passenger parking.

Officials aren’t far enough along with planning to determine how many new spaces would be provided. They also pointed out that close-in parking would expand with ride-hailing queues removed from an existing parking garage.

Airport officials also told board members about plans to extend runway length at Henderson Executive Airport and to remodel the terminal building there.

Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X.